Bangkok and Kho Phanyang

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Hello All,

I hope that you are all well. Sorry I've rather fell behind in keeping you updated on my travels etc, but I'm afraid that I've become somwhat lethargic in the matter, putting things off until a latter date. I believe that my last blog was as long as a month ago. I've visted the South of Thailand as well as had a snapshot of Northern Vietnam since then.

From Angkor Wat and Siem Reap (the town in which we stayed while visting the temples) we took a bus along a forsaken Cambodian road in an overpacked bus, the sort of vehicle that Dylan, Liz and I have become far to accustomed to. On the border we got into the far more comfortable Thai transportation and went forth, to Bangkok! By late evening we arrived in the city and walked onto the 'Khoa San Road' (it is obligatory, when saying these words, to use the slow drawl that Leo adopts in the 'Beach'). Then we walked right off it and onto the cheaper adjacent road where we stayed in an Israeli guest house.
The Israeli's are truly a race unto themselves, hanging out together in a strange manner. One doesn't get agitated by their cleakyness, but all the same its normal. While on one of the Islands some time latter I passed a group of three bearded men, while looking for shaving equipment (yes, I did shave my beard, though it has now recovered). The man said unmistably in my direction, but so quietly that only I and his friends would hear, "shalom?". He clearly wanted to know if I was a member of the club and had enquired in the most clock and dagger way. Wierd!

Anyway back to Bangkok. The next day we went and visted Sister Mercedes at their house and was able to talk to Sister Deanna over the phone. The visit was enjoyable and we were able to catch up with Thabom life. Further more, Ajan Chinarong kindly came down and talked with us, and then totally out of the blue took us out to dinner. A very nice man indeed! However, by the end of the evening I was feeling ill and promptly spent the next two days in bed. Fevers are really not cool, and in a non-aircon room the're even worse. Indeed, unfortunatly I was so ill that I missed Liz' Birthday and lost the first half of our first visit to Bangkok. After my recovery, I'm ashamed to say, I did very little and with the exception of the reclining Budha (very big statue of a lying down Budha, surprisingly) and the restored house of the American entrepenuer, Jim Thompsons, I did very little. Infact I did even worse than doing nothing, I went to MacDonal's. I know, I know aweful and there is frankly no excuse. I was alone and hungry!

On the 8th of May we took the overnight bus and headed down south to the Island of Kho Phanyang (?). The journey was seriously long and pretty boring apart from the films they showed. First they showed two run-of-the-mill movies, but then, after being asked to show another by the insomnia blighted passangers they put on some hard-core Asian pornography! Being the closest to the driver I told him that he had mistakenly put on one of his private DVDs, expecting him to take it off immediately. He informed me it was no mistake and two hours of the unpleasent DVD followed. We eventually arrived on the Island (we also got a ferry) and met three of our soon to be travelling friends. The two girls departed a few days latter for Australia (missing the Full Moon Party! Frankly, I can't understand them) and regretfully I can't remember their names, but Acer, a young man travelling alone would spend a week with us and would share a bed with both myself and Dylan. Easy Tigger, its not what you think!

After two days on Coral Beach we grew tired of the sharp coral just below the water's surface and the rain and went to the main town, Hadrin (?). Thats when the party started and indeed I spent my birthday on the most partyied on beaches on Earth (also thanks alot Mum and Dad for the Birthday supper, we didn't have a curry but everyone enjoyed some good Pizza). We got there as you can all deduce from the above statment on the 10th and though four days before the actual day of the party it was still huge. In the week running up to full moon people start arriving and accordingly there is a party pretty much every night. Indeed the couple of nights before are arguably cooler as its not quite so crowded, and less tourists more backpackers (please forgive the pretentous nature of this comment, but there is a difference). To give you an idea one goes down to the beach, orders a bucket sized cocktail, with an unhealthy amount of Red Bull in it, and dances outside the bars or watches the fire dancers. This is done into the early hours of the morn and is seriously good fun.

It was on one of these nights that out of the blue appeared Joe Allcot (sorry Che pretty sure thats mispelt) and Ed Sandeman. It was truly incredible to see someone from home particularly these guys and though the cocktail may have played a part I hugged both of them repeatedly. The next day I met up with Wady and Bill Ellerington, whom they were also traveling with. I spent a good bit of time with them and while the next few days were cool anyway, their company added a great deal. All was not rosy though as the day after Full Moon Party (I spent the night getting lost and then trying to find Dill and Liz before meeting up with James, a nice gap yearer I met on the bus, before waking up on a bench wondering how I'd got their) Liz departed to meet her Mum in Bangkok before heading off to Aus. Remember that the girl had been partying all night and had not slept when we saw her off in the moring, but yet went on to complete her 10 hour journey - hats off to you Madam, hats off! It was and is really wierd without her and I miss her dreadfully (Liz that bits for you)! No seriously, I was surprised how quickly I started to miss her and indeed was thinking how wierd it was later that day.

We had been staying in the Layla guest house prior to the Full Moon Party, but the rooms where terible (decaying bamboo huts on the side of a steep hill, which were infested by mosquitos that chased you out of your room, and had a bathroom that was even worse than the room. Acer, sleeping in the same bed as you was the only thing that kept me going) so we moved. It ironic that the day that Liz, and the only one of the three of us who had ever really advocated aircon left, Dylan and I moved into the nicest (and most expensive and an increadible GBP 5 per night) airconditioned, hot watered place we've had. We spent the remainder of our time on the Island with the boys from home, going to waterfalls or in our increadible room, enjoying the facilities.

And that's where I'm going to end this blog as its already long and I thought I'd break the story into two readable chunks, also I'm tired now and want to catch up on the news. Sorry that the above is kinda boring but I've decided that being a little more detailed is best as I've failed completly in keeping a journal and so need the blogs for posterity (not quite sure if thats the right word).

Please send me an email with regard to what your up to,

Macca/Christian

Ps sorry about the lack of photos. The Camera is not charged and so I will have to add them to the next blog.

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Comments

[Amy]

Shave!
If Dylans pic are anything to go by then we are not missing anything by not seeing your photos! I know you are travelling but honestly macca, so much facial hair is not becomming of a young man!

[Reginaldo]

......
that was by far the most entertaining one so far....though that´s not saying much.....where´s the filth, all the storyies about the brothels you visited "accidentally" and all the pills you taken that didn´t turn out to be paracetemol.....but rohipnal??? Thats what i want to know??